Article 4 of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) absolves the U.S. military in Japan from responsibility to restore base sites to their original conditions at the time of their return to Japan.

Prime Minister Abe held talks with Russian President Putin and announced that they agreed to accelerate their negotiations for a peace treaty regarding the dispute over the Russian-held northern territories based on the 1956 Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration.

Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who was arrested on suspicion of falsifying securities reports, has been nicknamed the "Cost Cutter" because of his scheme to shift managerial responsibility onto Nissan workers and Nissan subcontractors.